as you can tell by the responses. I think 'favorites' are sometimes what hits your 'I fancy' gut when you first see them. For me it was the turquoise G and then the turquoise 1205. But my very first new Electrolux was the Diamond J back in the 80's. I resisted getting another(ex took the first and left me with the G) Diamond J for yrs.

Then I had some good friends that moved away to the coast and I decided to give them a vac as a house warming gift. I found a nice, low hr Diamond J, went through it, the PN, picked up a Sidekick and gave them the whole shebang. The PO had carpets and never used the wands or floor brush which were virtually new. They absolutely CHERISH that vac....almost to the point of absurdity. He was telling me the other day that he didn't want to take it downstairs and do the hard floors.

Well, that started a 'bug' in me for my own Diamond J again. Plus, I sent my son in Brooklyn my DD 1205. That left me with using my restored turquoise G as my DD....not liking that, I found another nice Diamond J and then another with poorer airflow, but beautiful shape.

Then the mechanical interest part of me 'fancied' the motor in the Super J and so I found one of those. For those that don't know, Electrolux USA put over a million dollar upgrade into their plant to manufacture the new motor/canister. I don't like gold canister vacs as a rule, but this vac is so historically significant that I got one.

So as you can read, I'm all over the place in personal favorite, metal canister Electrolux vacs....lol. Now.....I wouldn't turn down an XXX if someone was to give me one, but I'm not actively seeking anything that old. Seems to me if you got an XXX, you're bound then, to get everything in between that and the last metal series canisters. I've got enough to restore in many other hobbies...don't need that scenario!

Kevin

The one thing I'm not totally infatuated with on the Diamond J is the PN5 that came it. I have never cared for the L-shaped design as the 'outrigger' on the right seems to constantly catch on furniture legs. I'm sure it's a great design for wide open spaces but that's not the reality of my crowded house. The more compact designs of the three earlier PN models (of which I have one of each) just work better for my needs.

That's a very reasonable observation about the PN5. I thought that too when I bought my first back in the 80's(had been using the G PN1). But if you try to use it like they intended you to, it kinda grows on you. The little PN1/2's could fit about anywhere like you said,  but I think the cleaning design of the PN5 to be superior...especially edge cleaning.

Now that I've made my DD a Diamond J, it's kinda hard for me to get motivated in restoring the older canisters I have. Something about the Diamond J I really 'fancy' as a DD....maybe it's muscle memory from the 80's...lol!

Kevin

To me, the design is just clumsy. I've sometimes wondered if "like they intended" involves being a right-handed user, which I am not. I'm left-handed so a lot of things in this backwards-to-me world don't work "like they intended" because they're optimized for right-handed use.

I never thought of that! I bet it does feel bassackward using your left hand. It's a completely wrong design for a left-hander. They should have had that PN come in two configurations. Sorry for being a right-handedist thinker only...lol.

Kevin

Nice list!

Somehow I got poor with G's in aquamarine green. They all have to be restored though. My showboat green G is in my bedroom collecting dust....shrinking from me in its finery when I consider doing the house with it. In it's defense though...I was playing with the dawgs yrs ago and fell flat on top of it. It shot pieces of wheels into the next room. Those suckers are REALLY hard to find in the green. It was also then that I discovered the front and rear wheels are actually two different sizes....had to break the wheels to notice....lol.

Another weak point of the G is that protection grommet that surrounds the cord, in the canister. Unless you get down on the floor and pull the cord straight out, you will wear that grommet at the top. I've never even seen one for sale in green. You can turn it over once and gain some time.....

Never been interested in a tan one, but there are more color correct parts out there for the tan than the green...by probably a factor of ten.

Love the 1205 and would have kept buying them, but all of a sudden, they skyrocketed on eBay for really icky, worn ones. 

Rhetorical question of the day; Why would people send vacuums you buy on eBay with their dirt in them??? To me that's like somebody urinating on my front door.

Kevin